Hydraulic air compressor



Nov. 28, 1939. G. w. HARRIS ET AL 2,181,729

HYDRAULICy AIR COMPRESSOR Filed Dec. 20, 1937 /6 Q/zd J70/2f@ V055INVENTORS Bff THE/ ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 28, 1939 UNITED A STATE eATENT oFFicE This inventionconcerns fluid compression devices, and more particularly a form ofhydraulic compressor adapted to operate from the city water mains.

One of the important objects of the invention is the provision of ahydraulic air compressor adapted to operate from the city water mainsand operable to compress air for general use and especially for use withbeverage dispensing apparatus.

Another object is the provision of a hydraulic air compressor which canbe operatedfrom the city water mains and which is adapted to wash aswell as compress air.

Another object is the provision of a lsimple and relatively inexpensiveair compressing device especially suitable for use with beveragedispensing apparatus and which may be readily connected with the localhydrant for operation by water under pressure from the city mains.

Still another object is the provision of a iiuid compression deviceincluding a tank and an injector for delivering Water under pressureinto said tank and also operable to draw air into the tank, togetherwith neat-operated valve means and check valve means so arranged that asthev water level rises in the tank the inducted air becomes increasinglycompressed and escapes under pressure into a storage tank while theiioat means operates certain valves to release the water from the tankso that the cycle of injection and compression may be repeated. f

Other objects and novel aspects of the invention reside in certaindetails of construction and operation especially with respect to theinjection valve, the check valve arrangement and the quick acting floatcontrol valve mechanism, all of which will appear as the followingdescription proceeds in View of the drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical cross section through the compressor unit; whileFig. 2 is an enlarged top plan detail of a valve catch means.

portions.

A suitable form of gasket I4 is `provided between the flange portions I3to complete the air seal.

The bottom I5 of the tank isconcave and has a depending dischargeconduit I6 at its lowermost central portion and through which waterforced into the tank is permitted to escape under certain conditions.

Threaded into a nipple I'I in the head II is an 5 injector unit generalyindicated at I84 and including a main conduit portion I9 adapted forconnection with the city Water supply and leading to the bottom of thetank through a stand pipe 2li open at its lower end 2l just above the 10concave bottom wall. An extension 22 on the injector I8 provides an airinlet 23 leading past a light weight valve 24 having its stern 25slidably seated in a plug 26 threaded into the eX- tension 22. A passage21 communicates at an 15 angle froml the valve 24 into the conduitportion I3 at a point just above the juncture 28 of av small-diameterwater feed tube 29 and a largerdiameter injector tube 30 disposed in theconduit portion I9, the arrangement being such that as the water passesunder pressure down through the'smaller-diarneter tube 29 and by its ownvelocity and momentum on into the larger tube 30, air is dragged throughthe conduit portion 2l in around the juncture 28 between the larger and25 smaller tubes. It will be observed that the stand pipe 2i) is ofconsiderably larger diameter than the injection tube to obviate anyundue back pressure. There is also a smaller valve operating duCl'J 21.30

As the water lever rises, the air-tight float 3i within the tank ridesupwardly on a vertical guide rod 32 attached at its lower end by pinmeans 33 to a plug orstopper 3d which normally seats in or closes thedischarge duct i5, the upper end 35 of the rod 32 terminating in atapered nose portion 35 which projects in the central opening 33 of atoroidal spring ring 3l (see Fig. 2) seated in a chamber 38 in thebottom of a compression Valve structure 39 threaded into a nippleportion 40 4t in the top of the tank. The chambered portion 38 is closedby a plate 4I.

It will be observed that the guide rod 32 may shift up and down along avertical line to open and close the discharge or drain opening I6. Whenthe rod 32 moves upwardly, the tapered nose portion 35 wedges into thetoroidal spring latch 3l until a circumferentially curved portion 42 isAgripped by the spring to hold the rod 32 in raised position with thedrain I6 open. In this latter position the nose portion 35 acts also asa stop valve by virtue of the fact that it seats in a reduced airdischarge passage 43 in the structure 39 and thus closes off thedischarge or compression line from the interior of the tank.

When the guide rod 32 is in its lowered position, as seen in Fig. 1,with the drain i6 closed, the rising column of water within the tankcompresses the inducted air which escapes around the nose portion 35 ofthe guide rod and past a rubber lip valve il@ into an enlarged oatchamber i5 and around a normally open float valve i6 and past anothernormally closed rubber lip valve @l into the reservoir or compressiontank. The float valve 46 may be of any commonly known type whichincludes a iioat 48 connected by a guided arml 49 to the valve andoperable when any liquid or water accidentally gets past the lowervalves and escapes from the tank into the chamber 45. When thecompressor is used for beverage dispensing purposes, it is necessary toguard against any possibility of water reaching the compression line,and the float valve structure lt--lQ- serves this end.

As the water column rises within the tank, back pressure in the airinduction line will permit the easy operating valve V2154 to close, theair previously inducted meanwhile being continuously compressed untilthe float 3l reaches a predetermined level to terminate the compressionphase of the operation. The closed sleeve portion $1 of the oat 3!terminates at its upper end in an enlarged sleeve portion 50 in which isseated a compression spring 5l loosely surrounding the guide rod 32 andmovable with the float upwardly through an opening 52 in a trip valvearm 53 and against a flange or collar 54 iixed to the rod 32 in suchmanner that the rod will be raised upwardly to open the drain I6 andproject its nose portion 35 into blocking position in the duct portion43, the latching spring means 3l holding the rod in raised position asaforesaid while the water escapes through the drain and the float Sidescends on the guide rod.

In order to spill the air from the tank and effect a sudden upwardmovement of the oat 3l as a result of the reduced pressure, there isprovided a trip valve 55 operated by the arm 53 which is pivoted as at56 on the inner side of the cover El, the arm 53 being curved such thatas the oat 3l rises to engage the spring 5l with the rod lifting thecollar 54, the arm 53 will be quickly raised to open the valve 55 andspill the compressed air remaining in the tank through a circuitousexhaust line 57 threaded into a nipple 58 in the top of the tank.Meanwhile, the column of water will descend until the float 3l reachesits normally lowered position and engages the plug portion 3d to retractor lower the guide rod 32 and close the discharge opening I6.

Attention is called to the fact that the arrangement of the spring 5lfor establishing a yielding operative connection between the iioat andthe means 54 on the upper end of the guide rod, together with thedisposition of the trip `Valve lever 53, is especially designed toassure that the float will be suiiciently submerged in order to causeits sudden upward movement responsive to spilling the air from the tank.

Thus, it will appear that we have provided a novel and inexpensivecompression device in which a fluid such as water is injected into aclosedtank and provided with an air induction mechanism by means ofwhich a certain quantity of air is led into the tank along with thefluid or water and compressed as the column of water rises within thetank. WhenV a predetermined quantity of water or viluid has entered thevtank,

a float mechanism automatically o-pens a drain valve and permits thewater to escape rapidly until the tank is substantially drained,whereupon the drain valve automatically closes and the tank again lls inthe manner described. And while we have described a particular use forthe mechanism as well as certain specific details of constructionthereof, it is expressly to be understood that the invention is notlimited to any particular application, nor to any specic form ofconstruction except as may be provided hereinafter in the appendedclaims;

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is:

1. A compressor including a closed tank, means providing a flow of waterinto said tank and arranged to induct air into the tank by the flow ofwater, a water discharge valve arranged in the tank, an air exhaustValve in the tank, a vertically extending guide, rod operativelyconnected with said water discharge valve and movable in a verticaldirection to open said valve, a float guided for vertical movement bysaid vrod and having means operatively engagingl an upper end portion ofsaid rod to `lift the latter and open said water discharge valve whenthe water reaches a predetermined level in said tank,` and resilientmeans arranged at the upper endhof said rod and releasably holding therod in raised valve opening position, said iioat being operable to closesaid discharge valve when a determined amount of water has escapedthrough said water discharge valve. n Y

2. An air compressor including a closed tank having a water dischargevalve in its lower region and an air escape valve in its upper res gion,a vertical guide rod operatively connected with said water dischargevalve and having gulded support at its upper end for vertical movementto open saidvalve, yieldable means at the upper end of said rod andconstructed Vto releasably gripv the same and hold the rod in raisedposition, a float having vertically guided sliding movement on said rod,spring means ar- J ranged at the upper end of said float. and engageable with means at the upper end of said rod .to lift the latterwhen the iioat is raised toa predetermined position to open saiddischarge valve, and a combination waterland vair injection deviceconnected to a supply of waterunder pressure, and adapted to draw fairinto the tank, whereby thev level of water in said tank may be raised tocompress air therein for escape through said exhaust valve, saiddischarge valve opening to open and close the latter,y a verticallyextending guide rod attached to said plug and having guided movement atitsruppelr end in 'said .exhaust valve member, yieldable means havingsliding engagement with said upper .en-d portion `of the rod andconstructed to hold'the latter in releasably raised position when ltherod is moved a predetermined distance upwardly tov raise said plug andopen said discharge opening, a float slidable -on said rod and normallyvdisposed in a lowered position thereon to lower said plug and closesaid discharge opening, spring means at the upper end of said float and.-mov- 55 being opened when sa1d oat lsralsedto said .60 movablevertically into and outoi said discharge able on said rod with saidfloat-foriengagement with means on thev upper end of said rod to raisethe latter said predetermined distance when said oat is raised to aparticular level by water Within the tank, and means attached to asource of water under pressure for injecting Water and air into saidtank, the rising level of water in said tank compressing said air forescape through said exhaust valve member, said float being raised tosaid particular level by the injected water to raise said plug andrelease the water, said float descending to lower said plug preparatoryto a repetition of the aforesaid operation.

, 4. A device of the class described including a closed tank having aWater drain in its lower region and an air exhaust opening in its upperregion, means for introducing water and air into the tank in a manner tocompress said air as the volume of Water increases, plug means normallyclosing said water drain and movable vertically to open the same, aguide rod operatively connected with said plug means, an exhaust valveattachment in said air exhaust opening, yieldable means arranged in saidexhaust attachment and guidingly embracing an upper end portion of saidguide rod and adapted to hold said rod releasably in raised positionwhen the rod is moved upwardly .a determined distance, check valve meansin said exhaust valve attachment permitting the escape of air underpressure from said tank for utilization purposes, a float havingvertically guided movement on said rod, said float being movableupwardly to a predetermined level by water rising in said tank andhaving resilient means operatively engageable with means near the upperend of said rcd for eiecting upward movement of said rod said determineddistance by movement of said float to said predetermined level wherebysaid plug may be raised to permit draining Water from said tank, saidfloat being adapted to descend into an initial position within said tankwhen Water is drained therefrom to lower said plug and close said drain.

5. The device of claim 4 further characterized by the provision of anormally closed air trip valve in said tank and having an operatingmember operably engaged by said float as the latter apiproaches saidpredetermined level, whereby the compressed air Within the tank may bequickly relieved to effect a sudden upward movement of the float to saidpredetermined level to raise the guide rod as aforesaid.

6. A fluid-operated compressor including a closed tank, water injectionmeans for introducing water under pressure within said tank, airinduction means cooperable with said Water injection means for inducingair within the tank by the flow of water therein, a normally closedwater discharge valve in the tank, means providing an air dischargepassage from said tank, a rod member having a particular end portionguidedly received in said discharge passage and having operativeengagement with said Water discharge valve to open the latter, a floatwithin said tank and having guidedmovement on said rod member, springmeans movable by said float into engagement with a member on said rodnear said particular end to raise the rod and open said Water dischargevalve when the float is raised to a determined level by water in thetank, means releasably holding said rod in raised position, said iioatbeing adapted to descend into an initial position to close saiddischarge valve when the water level recedes.

7. A fluid-operated. compressor' including a closed tank, waterinjection means for introducing water under pressure within said tank,air induction means cooperable With said water injection means forinducing air Within the tank by the ow of water therein, a normallyclosed water discharge valve in the tank, means providing a valve airdischarge passage leading from said tank, said passage having a seatportion, a rod member having a particular end portion guidedly receivedin said discharge passage and having a portion of said particular endconstructed to fit in the aforesaid seat portion in the air passage toclose off the latter When said rod is raised to open said dischargevalve, said rod further having operative connection with said waterdischarge valve to open the latter, a ioat Within said tank and havingguided movement on said rod member, spring means movable by said floatinto engagement with a member on said rod near said particular end toraise the rod and open said Water discharge valve when the float israised to a determined level by water in the tank, means releasablyholding said rod in raised position, said float being adapted to descendinto an initial position to close said discharge valve when the waterlevel recedes.

8. A duid-operated compressor including a closed tank, Water injectionmeans for introducing water under pressure within said tank, airinduction means cooperable with said water i'njection means for inducingair Within the tank by the iiow of water therein, a normally closedWater discharge valve in the tank, means providing an air dischargepassage from said tank, I:

a rod member having a particular end portion guidedly received in saiddischarge passage and having operative engagement with said Waterdischarge valve to open the latter, a iloat Within said tank and havingguided movement on said rod member, spring means movable by said iloatinto engagement with a member on said rod near said particular end toraise the rod and open said Water discharge valve when the iioat israised to a determined level by Water in the tank, an annular springmember yieldingly embracing said particular end portion of the rodadjacent said discharge passage and engaging in a groove formation insaid rod to hold the latter releasably in raised position when the rodis raised to open ed to descend into an initial position to close saiddischarge valve When the Water level recedes.

9. A fluid-operated compressor including a, closed tank having a fluiddischarge opening in its lower region and an air exhaust opening in itsupper region substantially opposite the aforesaid discharge opening, astop plug normally closing said fluid discharge opening and havingconnected thereto one end of a guide rod movable vertically into adetermined position to open said fluid discharge opening, exhaust valvemeans arranged in said air exhaust opening and providing an airdischarge passage in which the opposite end portion of said guide rod isguidedly received, releasable means for holding said guide rod in saiddetermined position, said means including a toroidal spring memberembracing said opposite end portion of the guide rod, the latter havinga groove in which said toroidal spring member is moved to saiddetermined position, a float having guided movement on said rod andhaving a coil spring movable therewith on the rod, a normally closed airrelief valve in said tank and having an operating lever provided with anthe Water discharge valve, said float being adapt- "'50 openingsurrounding said rodl near its upper end and through which said springon the float may pass for engagement with a member on said rod near saidopposite end thereof, such that said iioat may engage and operate saidoperating lever of the relief valve to actuate the latter as the floatapproaches a predetermined level and at substantially the sametime'establish operative connection With said rod for movement of thelatter into said determined position when the air is relieved, and acombination liquid and air injection device connected with said tank forintroducing liquid and air Within the tank.

10. The device of claim 9 in which said exhaust valve means includes achambered portion having a normally open fluid-operated valve incommunication with an exhaust outlet and adapted to close said exhaustoutlet When fluid other than air enters said chamber.

11. The device of claim 9 in which said exhaust valve means includes atapered air discharge passage into which said opposite end portion ofthe guide rod ts When the rod is moved into said determined position toclose oil the movement of air from said tank through said dischargepassage.

12. In an air compressor including a closed tank having a water drainvalve, an air exhaust valve, an air relief valve, and means forintroducing Water and air to said tank, the air being compressed by therising body of water, automatic valve control means including a Waterdrain valve operating member arranged for vertical reciprocation to openand close said drain valve, a float having guided movement on saidoperating member and operable in a lowered condition to close said drainvalve, said oat having a spring member engaging an upper part of saidoperating member When water rising in the tank lifts the float to aparticular level, an operating arm for said relief valve and arranged tobe operated by said oat to open said relief valve substantially at thetime When said spring member engages the drain operating member asaforesaid, said float moving suddenly to open said drain valve throughthe agency of said spring member when said relief valve is operated.

13. Automatic valve control means as set forth in claim 12 and furthercharacterized by the fact that said drain valve operating member is alsoconstructed for cooperation With said air exhaust valve to close off anair exhaust passage through the latter when said Water drain valve sopened.

14. Valve mechanism for use with hydraulic air compressors of the typeincluding a closed tank With a hydro-air injector, a Water drain valve,and air exhaust and relief valves, said mechanism comprising a. oathaving guided movement on an operating member for said Water drain valveand arranged to be lifted to a predetermined level by Water rising inthe tank to effect an operative connection With said operating member tomove the latter for the purpose of opening said drain valve uponcontinued rising movement of the float, resilient means for oper.- ablyconnecting said oat with said operating member, and relief-valveoperating means arranged in said tank for operation by said oatsubstantially at or after the time when said oat establishes operativeconnection with said drain valve operating member through the resilientmeans as aforesaid. v

15. In a device of the class described, an inclosed tank, means forinjecting air and water into said tank to effect compression of said airby the increasing volume of Water in the tank, a normally closed Waterdrain valve for said tank, a valved air exhaust connection for saidtank, and float mechanism including a guide rod having operativeconnection 'with said drain valve, float means arranged for guidedmovement relative to said rod and movable in a direction from one end ofthe rod toward the other as said volume of Water increases anddecreases, said float mechanism moving said rod to open said drain valvelwhen there is a predetermined volume of vvater in said tank, yieldablemeans embracing an end of said rod and operable to hold the latter invalve opening position when said rod is moved by said float means toopen said drain valve, said noat meansI moving relative to said rod toclose said drain valve when a determined quantity of water has beendrained from the tank, an air relief valve in said tank and including anoperating member arranged in the path of movement of said oat means foractuation by the latter in advance of the opening thereby of said drainvalve whereby to effect a sudden relief of the air pressure Within thetank and a subsequent positive` opening operation of said drain valve.

GEORGE W. HARRIS. JOHN VOSS.

